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Here’s How Iceland’s Pirate Party Became a Frontrunner

On Saturday, voters head to the polls for one of the most highly anticipated elections of the 2016 — not the U.S. presidential race — the parliamentary elections in Iceland, where the anticipated success of the Pirate Party has capture global attention with its anti-establishment sentiment.

Originally slated for April 2017, the parliamentary elections were moved up in the wake of the Panama Papers disclosure, a massive data leak documenting how wealthy and politically connected individuals and organization hide their assets, that forced former prime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to step down following a wave of protests over accusations of financial conflicts of interest.

Formed by anarchists, hackers and other outsiders, the party’s social-liberal platform includes decriminalization of drugs, protection of online privacy, the adoption of the bitcoin digital currency and an offer of citizenship to Edward Snowden. The party is currently leading in most major polls.